1. Get a Uniqname If You Do Not Already Have One

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Objective

To learn the commands needed to start and end AutoCAD 2000. This includes not only basic AutoCAD commands, but also a few commands from Windows.

Exercise

1. Get a uniqname if you do not already have one.

2. Use your uniqname to log on to one of the Windows (Intel) machines in the building or in the Media Union.

3. Start the Notepad application.

To find the Notepad application, press the “Start button” on the lower left of the window. Notepad is found in the Programs-Accessories menu.

Compose a paragraph or two and become familiar with the (few) text editing functions. Print what you have typed and exit the application. At this point you will be asked to save the typing to a permanent file. Save to a ZIP disk, or your IFS account as a “.TXT” file.

4. Start the Paint application.

Compose a picture using the various paintbrushes and colors. Draw at least one diagonal line and zoom in on a portion of it. Notice the “jaggies.” Print your picture and exit the application. Save the drawing to an alternate disk.

5. Begin the NT Explorer and use the Edit menu commands to make a copy of one of your files.

Edit menu / Right mouse button click

Also, rename it and destroy it. Become familiar with the other menu commands in the Explorer. Double-click on the Notepad or Paint file. Notice that the application automatically starts. Exit the application.

6. Begin AutoCAD. Follow these steps:

Double click the AutoCAD 2002 icon. Be patient: AutoCAD takes a while to load.

7. Experiment with various AutoCAD commands.

The AutoCAD screen should have appeared on the monitor, complete with drawing area and cross-hairs, the command line area at the bottom of the screen, and the menu bar for the pull-down menus at the top of the screen. Try out various commands, toy around with things to get the feel of AutoCAD. Get the feel of how the menus work. Try entering some commands with the pull-down menus, some with the Draw Toolbar, and some by typing in the names of commands. While typing commands at the AutoCAD command line, note the following:

The commands are not case-sensitive. You can freely mix uppercase and lowercase characters in commands.

Most AutoCAD commands respond with prompts asking you for some kind of input. Explore all the different ways you can enter valid data at these prompts.

Typing a space has the same effect as typing the “enter” key (it submits the currently typed command for execution, or if no command has been entered, repeats the previously executed command).

There is no visible cursor at the command line. Any characters typed at the keyboard will always end up in the command line (unless a dialog box is active, in which case they will go into the active field in the dialog). Since spaces are not allowed in commands, you can always imagine a cursor at the end of the last character on the command line.

Experiment on your own, but also try the LINE, TEXT, CIRCLE, ZOOM, ERASE and UNDO commands.

Entering the ESC key will cancel any command.

8. Generate a drawing using some of the commands you have tried.

At this stage, you probably have not mastered very much yet (we’ll try to get you there throughout the rest of this course), but submit a plot to show what you have learned so far.

9. Save your work.

When you work on a computer, you should get into the habit of saving your work often. Otherwise, sooner or later, you might lose hours of work, probably at the worst possible time. To save your work:

Click on the “File” pull-down menu, and choose “Save.” The first time you save your drawing, a “Save” dialog box will appear. You need to change several of the items in the dialog box.

Go to the “Directories:” scrolling box in the window. Save your work somewhere on the C:\ drive. (C:\TEMP is a good place.)

ALWAYS WORK FROM THE “C:\ DRIVE!!! Your archived copies of AutoCAD files should either be stored on a ZIP disk or on your IFS account. This means it is up to you to transfer “.DWG” files from the alternate drive (or your IFS account) to the C:\ drive before starting AutoCAD, and it is up to you to transfer “.DWG” files from the C:\ drive to the ZIP drive after quitting AutoCAD. AutoCAD creates a few temporary “working files” in the current directory which grow in size as your drawing becomes more complex. AutoCAD may crash if it is unable to expand these temporary files. For early assignments, working directly off a floppy is fine since the drawings are simple, but for later assignments you will need to work off the C:\ drive.

Go to the text box at the top of the dialog box, below “File Name.” Click inside the box, so that the text cursor (short, blinking vertical line) appears.

Type in the name for your drawing file. The name should have no spaces or punctuation. Numbers, hyphens (“-”) and underscores (“_”) are acceptable.

Click the “OK” button.

10. Print your work on the laser printer. To print what is displayed on your screen, go to the “File” menu and pick “Print.” A large dialog box should appear.

Make sure that the check boxes labeled “Display” is checked and “Scaled to Fit” is chosen as the “Scale.” Make sure none of the others are checked. In particular, make sure “Hide Objects” is not checked. You may also wish to check “Center the plot.”

Also make sure that “Letter” is listed for “Paper size.”

Click the radio button in the lower left marked, “Full Preview.” In the picture that is displayed, your drawing should fill most of the white rectangular box without going outside it. If it doesn’t, and you have done everything else correctly, you will have to correct the rotation and offset by setting the “Drawing orientation,” and setting the X and Y “Plot offsets” to 0. To remove the preview, hold the right mouse button and toggle “Exit.”

When all of the settings are correct, click the “OK” button.

11. Quit AutoCAD. After making sure you are done with your drawing:

Go the “File” pull-down menu and choose “Exit.” If you have made any changes (even zooming or panning) since the last time you saved your work, a dialog box will appear asking whether to save or discard the changes you made. After you pick the appropriate button, AutoCAD will end.

12. Copy your drawing.

“Drag and drop” the “*.dwg” file to your external disk, or to your IFS account. Don’t assume your file will be on the machine the next time you need to work on it. It may be, but you cannot count on it.

13. Make a “freehand” sketch of the floor plan of either the apartment or house you are living in or the apartment or house of your family. Sketch only one floor. Do not use any drawing instruments other than a pencil. Include some of the furniture and all the doors and windows. Label each habitable room.

Draw walls as double lines and try to keep things in proportion – no gigantic couches or teeny doors.

14. Log off the machine.

Choose “Shut Down” in the “Start button” menu.

15. Turn in an AutoCAD plot, Paintbrush plot, Notepad print and the freehand sketch.

All homework is to be submitted before or on the following Tuesday. Make sure you turn in everything requested, and that all work is put in a cheap, two-pocket folder. Put your name and course number on the outside of the folder. Only turn in current assignments and assignments you have been asked to re-submit. The instructor will bring the Arch 411 “In Box” to class on Tuesdays. The assignments will be graded and returned on Thursdays.